Amidst the news that Darcy Kuemper may be absent from the Capitals matchup Friday vs. Pittsburgh due to the birth of his child, Clay Stevenson has been recalled from the Hershey Bears (AHL). The 24-year-old netminder was signed as an undrafted free-agent out of Dartmouth Collect (NCAA) ahead of the 2022-23 and has yet to make an NHL appearance. In his first season in the minor leagues he posted a 19-12-3 record with a .916 SV% and a 2.54 GAA for the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) in 2022-23. He is expected to backup Charlie Lindgren if Kuemper is unable to go.

Thompson was 21-13-3 with a .915 SV% and a 2.65 GAA in an injury-riddled 2022-23 with Vegas and will start their second game of the season Thursday in San Jose. The 26-year-old is entering his third NHL season and is expected to split starting time with Adin Hill throughout the season. He draws the San Jose Sharks on the road, who struggled to score in 2022-23 and finished 25th in goals for (233) and 25th in shots per game (29.5).

Philp had the potential to make the Blackhawks' opening night roster but has now been placed on the injured reserve indefinitely with an injured Achilles. The 27-year-old forward appeared in three games for Chicago in 2022-23 and picked up an assist and two PIMs. He played the majority of last season in Rockford, where he had 29 goals, 53 points and a +17 plus/minus in 60 games played.

Backstrom missed 43 games in 2022-23 after having hip resurfacing surgery but says he feels 100% and ready for the start of the Capitals' training camp and is ready to go. The 35-year-old centre had seven goals, 14 assists, 14 PIMs, 59 SOG, and a -25 plus/minus in 39 games in 2022-23 before being placed on the shelf in mid-April. He will hope to continue to make an impact with the Capitals as he enters his 17th NHL season and has 271 goals and 1032 points across 1097 career games played.

Hagelin hadn't played in the NHL since 2021-22 due to an eye injury and announced Wednesday via his Instagram account that he will be retiring from professional hockey. The 35-year-old left-winger leaves the NHL with 110 goals, 186 assists, a +119 plus/minus, and 1429 SOG across 713 games played as well as a 2X Stanley Cup Champion. He played for five franchises including the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, and Los Angeles Kings.

Wilson had 13 goals, nine assists, 82 SOG, 78 PIMs and a -13 plus/minus through 33 games with Washington in 2022-23 after starting the year late due to a knee injury and has signed a seven-year, $45.5 million contract extension ($6,500,000). The 29-year-old bruising right-winger was a 2012 first-round pick (16th overall) and has amassed 128 goals, 295 points and 1,299 PIMs through 680 career games

Duhaime had nine goals, one assist, 80 SOG, 42 PIMs and a +6 plus/minus through 51 games with Minnesota in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $1.1 million AAV contract to avoid arbitration. The 26-year-old right-winger was a fourth-round pick by Minnesota in 2016 (106th overall) and has 15 goals, 27 points and 164 PIMs across 131 career games played.

Cristall had 29 goals, 56 assists, 50 PIMs and a +18 plus/minus through 54 games with Kelowna (WHL) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Washington. The 18-year-old left-winger was drafted in the second-round of the 2023 NHL draft (40th overall) and is expected to return to junior for the 2023-24 season.

Priskie had 11 goals, 11 assists, 20 PIMs and a -9 plus/minus through 58 games with both Rochester (AHL) and San Diego (AHL) and has signed a one-year, two-way extension with Washington ($775,000/$335,000 AAV). The 27-year-old defenseman has played in four NHL games throughout his career, failing to pick up a point while adding two PIMs and a +2 plus/minus.

Sutter was a third-round pick of the Capitals in the 2018 NHL Draft, and he's spent the last four seasons with their AHL team in Hershey. The 23-year-old winger registered 12 points (5G / 7A) in 69 games during the 2023 AHL season.

Fehervary had six goals, 10 assists, 91 SOG, 31 PIMs and a -11 plus/minus through 67 games in 2022-23 and has signed a three-year, $8.025 Million contract extension ($2,675,000 AAV). The 23-year-old defenseman has played in 152 career NHL games played, picking up 14 goals and 34 points after being drafted in the second round (46th overall) in 2018 by the Capitals.

Limoges had 20 goals, 34 assists, 12 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 63 games played with the Manitoba Moose (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract ($775,000 AAV) with the Washington Capitals. The 25-year-old forward was signed as an undrafted free agent from Penn State (NCAA) who joined San Diego (AHL) after his 2020-21 college season.

Dube had 16 goals, 16 assists, 30 PIMs and a +10 plus/minus through 44 games played with Laval (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, two-way entry level contract with Washington worth an AAV of $870,000. The French international representative has yet to make his NHL debut after being signed as an undrafted free agent from Shawinigan (QMJHL) after the 2021-22 season.

McIlrath had an assist, one SOG, seven PIMs and a -6 plus/minus through six games with Washington in 2022-23 and has re-signed a two-year, two-way contract extension with the Capitals. The 31-year-old defenseman has played in 72 career NHL games played, with three goals and three assists along with 128 PIMs during that span.

Shepard was 20-8-5 with a .916 SV% and 2.18 GAA with the Hershey Bears (AHL) and has signed a two-year, two-way contract extension worth $775,000. The 27-year-old goaltender has yet to make an NHL appearance in his career after being signed as an undrafted free-agent out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA).

Eller had 10 goals, 13 assists, 140 SOG, 46 PIMs and a +3 plus/minus through 84 games with both Washington and Colorado in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year contract worth $4.9 million ($2.45M AAV) with Pittsburgh. The 34-year-old veteran centre is only 46 games from reaching the 1000 NHL games mark and has collected 163 goals and 371 points across his 14 year career.

Dubois had 27 goals, 36 assists, 205 SOG, 77 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 73 games played with Winnipeg in 2022-23 and has been traded to the Los Angeles Kings for Gabe Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari and a 2nd Rd pick. The 25-year-old centre has signed a eight-year, $68 Million ($8,500,000 AAV) contract with the Los Angeles Kings.

Dubois had 27 goals, 36 assists, 205 SOG, 77 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 73 games played with Winnipeg in 2022-23 and has been traded to the Los Angeles Kings for Gabe Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari and a 2nd Rd pick. The 25-year-old centre will be joining his third NHL team after picking up 302 points (129G/173A) in 434 games played through six seasons.

Washington picked Miroshnichenko in the first round (No.20 overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old winger spent the 2023 season in the KHL, where he had four points (3G / 1A) in 23 games for Omsk Avangard.

Häman Aktell was originally a fourth-round pick of the Predators in 2016 but never signed. He remained in Sweden, where he had 36 points (9G / 27A) in 51 games with Vaxjo HC (SHL) during the 2023 season.